Category Archives: Pilates

Joseph Pilates’ history / biography is reasonably well known, but there’s always more to learn. In honour of his birthday (his 129th birthday – wow!) and for my own personal reference, I’m including links to two biographical references.

1. This is an excellent and comprehensive synoptic biography http://www.easyvigour.net.nz/pilates/h_biography.htm

2. This is an awesome cartoon of Pilates’ life https://www.youtube.com/embed/vWkxhtfw0A8

Having run a number of user groups in other sectors, I’m acutely aware of their advantages for their members and the industries they represent. I realised recently that there wasn’t a user group for Pilates teachers in London, so I thought I’d launch one and see what the community response would be.

Advantages:
The advantages are numerous and often unanticipated. The networking, mutual support and camaraderie that comes from these groups is often surprisingly strong. Think about it. Do you have clients who have specific physical issues you’re having trouble treating? Maybe you have clients who are not responding to your individual approach or who are just very negative and its impacting the rest of your class. How much should you be charging for your classes? How do other teachers keep up to date on pertinent medical findings or the latest Pilates industry news? Where should you go to do further training? What should you train in? What are other teacher’s experiences in different training schools or courses? What bodies or associations is it useful to be a member of? What sort of insurance should you carry and what’s a reasonable price to pay for it? Are there other teachers local to you, of good training and skill standards that could cover your classes when something comes up, you’re sick or on holiday? Where’s the best place to buy Pilates equipment or clothing? And soooooo much more…You can discuss all these with your fellow Pilates instructors on the night or any time through the online members forum.

Don’t Panic:
I realise I’m preaching to the choir, but Pilates is great for everyone. Not just the old or just the young. Not just for women or just for men. Not just for the injured or just for the elite athlete. We will never need to be in competition with each other as there will always be more clients that teachers available to teach them. So lets unite in a common goal of bringing the one message to everyone, that Pilates will sharpen your mind and invigorate your body. It will fix you if you are broken and strengthen the focus and body of the most elite of athletes. It will trim and tone your stomach, bottom and thighs. It will keep you well and healthy late into your lives. Insert any number of Joseph Pilates quotes here…

The Group:
The group has only just been set up and we have no fixed venue yet, so for now please just join up and I will arrange a venue, a first meeting and a topic for presentation on the night. I plan to run the group once a month and it’s completely free to join. I’m also discussing sponsorship with a couple of related parties and I’ll announce how that is going as I hear more. It will probably take the form of discounted prices on Pilates goods, prizes on the night and maybe even a small bar tab, who knows ;). I am looking to bring in guest speakers on hot Pilates related topics (feel free to suggest them as well).

Grb10 (growth factor receptor-bound protein 10) has been known about for quite a while now and is available in many supplements, but until recently it’s potential was not known, or rather it’s control of your potential. Its been referred to as the Hulk Protein, but it turns out that it might not be the magic muscle protein, it might me the Whimp Protein.

Research suggests that this grb10 gene is responsible for the control of muscle growth, ensuring muscles grow only as required, in response to consistent heavy work loads.

I teach a number of golfers, both amateur and pro and I’ve been lecturing on this for a while, but the principles of Pilates are exactly the ones needed to be a great pro or amateur Golfer.

Don’t believe me? In Pilates you’ll experience an exercise format that works on your core, abdominal, pelvic (hip) and scapular strength, stability, flexibility, co-ordination and balance. This works for your driving, your irons and your putter. It helps make you a lot longer, more accurate and more focused with your strikes and your putting.

Still don’t believe me? The Titleist Performance Institute just published these findings on Rory McIlroy

So, if you want to play better golf, much better golf, then get to a good Pilates studio. Or if you’re in London then contact me 😉 (sean@pilateschannel.co.uk)

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Thinking about the methods of gently progressing an exercise for a given client and their specific condition can sometimes be time consuming. Not because of the ability to progress it but because of the different types of progressions you need to consider. So what are they? What’s that magic list of progressable factors?

Progressions can be any of the below:

resistance

repetitions

leverage

range of motion

balance

speed

breathing

coordination

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Pilates Channel

Just like Joe, we believe in the evolution of the Pilates method by continually improving our understanding of anatomy, physiology, nutrition, psychology etc, without giving in to expedience or opportunism. We deliver the method as it is supposed to be delivered and with full understanding of what we're delivering and why.